December10

Leslie Burger's Opening Comments

when she talked to her colleagues and those who use and care about libraries, they would ask what do we stand for?
she thought that it would be wonderful if we as a community if we could think about the idea of having an agenda for transforming the way library service is provided in this country (for all levels and types)
and what if we could agree on a forward-thinking, positive agenda we could share with people on the Hill and if we could all agree that it would be valuable to support it?
so the idea is to begin to craft the first steps of a "national library agenda" that will transform how people think about and use libraries
some examples:

AARP - we know what they are about; we may not agree with their agenda, but we know they have a strong one

same thing with the NEA

need to think about what are we - people who work in libraries and provide service every day - about
need to step away from some of our defensive postures about what we "know" will make libraries better
time to say it in a way that makes everyone want to support it
can look at the work that has come before us and shape it into a focused agenda
it needs to articulate some basic values or premises about why we are doing this
doesn't like to have the cost discussion before the ideas, but will have to talk about that at some point
looks forward to going to ALA Legislative Day in May with a positive agenda she can talk with legislators about
question: just legislative agenda?
Leslie: no

breakdown in local communications media (newspapers, radio stations, etc.); leaves a lot of people in the lurch

a number of communities are using online technologies to stay connected locally (high school students when they go to college)

people are connecting online in communities around books

wireless (cities)

this might be stating the obvious, but many of these things are important because so much is available online now

people feel increasingly isolated from one another, while also connecting personally more, but seeking civic connections

increasing percentage of people who live alone, decreasing percentage of traditional households (6%); civic involvement is increasingly independent outside of the community; people act aggressively without knowing how things will affect their neighbors because they don't know their neighbors

generation of retiring Baby Boomers

large numbers of immigrants from many different groups

35 millions people in this country without health insurance

tremendous decline in arts programs in schools

while at the same time attendance at art events is increasing to an all-time high

decrease in school libraries

so much egovernment is only available online now and access is only through libraries

a call for people to be able to talk to each other again; a civil space for dialogue to work together even if we have different perspectives

discussion of the responsibility of government and what public institutions are and do

expanding self-service

more of an acceptance of constraints on personal freedom, not just an erosion

many communities have a renewed focus on education but a sense of desperation about being able to do anything about it

changing idea of what privacy is - also the willingness to share personal information more broadly

more than just growing income gaps, a growing inequality - the consolidation of resources, which has created a lot of job and income inequality; childhood is a disappearing opportunity

struggle for the soul of the public sector (and for the role of the public sector)

achievement gap among students of color; much is written about it but not much advancement is being made; gaps are so wide and they are not narrowing

as we live longer, looking at quality of life, and the role ethics of science and medicine will play in that

state of education is deplorable for everyone, not just people of color (and we're accepting this)

there are two distinct audiences for a library message - one still hears an argument for the public good, and one needs to hear a return on investment; hopes we come out of this with three things, one for each side, not weighted on the side of the public good

expectation of 24/7 access to everything

the ethical use of information that is out there and the lack of understanding on the part of our young creators about disappearing information in the 2.0 world

huge population shifts; some parts of the country see growing communities while others are seeing shrinking communities (including by age, ethnicity, etc.); differing picture from one place to the other

in terms of immigration, the information age allows them to maintain contact and negotiate communities; transformations of identities - will redefine libraries as past waves of immigration did

sovereign nations that live within our borders (250 nations within the U.S.) and face other challenges = language issues, the need for expanding economies, the need for expanded archives/institutions, changes in demographics, great health challenges

because of the amount of public debt that has been created, every state is functioning on a deficit, which is creating major issues on a fiscally operating basis - living in a culture of trade-offs

huge information challenge around global warming; many people see a phenomenon that could wipe us off the map at a time when facts and information are moving at a rapid pace; also an issue of communication of the issue

intersection of science and religion

the way gaming culture is changing the nature of "play;" cognition leading impulse

entrepreneurship becoming one of the most prevalent and permanent forms of employment; the library as "the peoples' university/library"

need to recognize the threat of anti-intellectualism in American history

organized labor as it related to the private sector is changing dramatically and many of us work in all kinds of public institutions who are part of the strongest unions around; need to try to create more collaborative relationships with these unions and be more nimble

sense of people not having a role to play in our democracy anymore; people don't feel empowered anymore; power is concentrated in small groups in the corporate sector

also a reality that a huge number of public employees will be retiring over the next decade, which will have an enormous impact on public budgets

in the past, mostly the middle class has supported community interests like the library; getting additional dollars is going to be difficult because they feel so stressed in this area; there are limits to how much the middle class can pay

people are totally confused about government; they've been led to believe for so long that government is something you get off your back, making the debate about funding libraries more difficult